91998E0440

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0440/98 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (24 February 1998)

Subject: Aegean island floods

The recent downpours which claimed several lives on the Aegean islands of Lesbos, Santorini etc. also caused extensive damage to their road networks (both provincial and rural), industrial plants, shops and offices, houses, farms and infrastructure. In response to the major problems created by the floods, will the Commission say:

1. whether it will make emergency aid available from the Community budget appropriations earmarked for natural disasters, and

2. what the possibilities are of funding from the Community Support Framework to make good the damage and erect flood protection systems?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-0440/98 and E-0441/98 given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (27 March 1998)

The Commission deplores the damage caused by the recent bad weather to the islands of Samos and Lesvos in Greece, but it must emphasise that the role of the Structural Funds is not to provide assistance in the event of a natural disaster. The Funds' objectives and scope are defined in the Council regulations adopted in December 1988 and revised in July 1993 and concern the financing of investment and infrastructure in underdeveloped regions, regions in industrial decline and rural regions. Only indirect support can therefore be given, where the regional authorities decided that the areas damaged by the bad weather should enjoy priority access to aid to infrastructure and investment for economic development.

With regard to emergency aid to disaster victims, the Commission recalls that this form of symbolic intervention is no longer possible due to the deletion of the item (B4-3400) from the current year's budget.

As far as the European Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) Guidance Section is concerned more particularly, Regulation (EEC) No 4256/88 ((OJ L 374, 31.12.1988. )) provides for restoring and prevention measures in case of natural disasters. However, due to the advanced stage of implementation of the relevant operational programmes, EAGGF amounts are almost totally allocated to concrete projects and actions, so there is practically no margin of available unallocated credits. Nevertheless, given the emergency of the situation created by the natural disasters and to the extent that the responsible authorities address a request to the Commission redirecting the priorities within the programmes, the Commission should not be opposed to examine positively this request, provided that the eligibility rules and other implementation provisions of the structural funds are respected. However, it should be clear that a possible EAGGF intervention, if any, would be quite exceptional and limited.